So last year I was researching and found that Surgeon was one of the best actions you could get, well for christmas my wife bought me one of the 591 and it's been sitting here ever since as I decide to go 260, 308, etc.

As I've been reading more and more I think I want to go with a 308 so I can shoot the heck out of it cheap and easy.

Here's my scenarios:

1 Keep the Surgeon and build a 308 on it.
2 Buy a 700 5R and shoot it, while I keep the surgeon and build a 260 later.
3 Sell the Surgeon, buy a 700 5R and a Stiller Tac338 action to build a larger caliber later.

What do you think? What else could I do?

I can't get over the fact that I could get a factory 5R 308 that shoots .5"s all day when I would have 3 grand in the surgeon that did the same. If I sold the Surgeon and bought a 5R i could possibly afford to start a Stiller 338 in the next year...

Joaquin, I have never had or shot a 260AI but from the info and experience posted by others who have them that would be a very interesting way to go .... of course he would have to hand load to do that .... factory ammo would be all but non existent for it. I am not a 308 fan. The 260 (and 7-08) has a bit better performance, a bit lighter recoil, a bit better bullet BC and is certainly earning a great deal of respect and wins among the competition family of shooters.

I would keep the Surgeon. I don't know what you are going to be hunting but if you hand load I would build a 6.5x47 and you would have a good med game rifle out to 600 yds or so. Also would be dream to shoot. If you don't handload, look real hard at the 6.5 Creedmoore. Most custom guns I have seen in that caliber shoot the factory ammo very well.

I would say sell the surgeon and buy a 5R for now get used to shooting at long range. 308 is easy to shoot, and ammo is cheap and easy to come by. I have shot the 5R and it is hard to beat. it will shoot as good as most custom 308's for a much lower price tag.

then when you can afford it down the road, build up a 338.

this way you have a great gun to shoot now starting out, and practice at long range, then later on you can build up a 338 and do some serious long range shooting.